


Keith is Broken

by Hayleythewriter



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: 2 fluff 4 you, Allura is perfect as usual, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Cheesy, Comedy, Dorks in Love, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluffy, Gay Keith (Voltron), Lance c a n n o t deal, Love Confessions, Love Potion/Spell, M/M, Pidge and Hunk are laughing it up, Pining Keith (Voltron), Shiro will fix this, Space Dad Shiro (Voltron), fluff stuff, rom com, romantic, soo much fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-25
Updated: 2017-10-12
Packaged: 2019-01-05 06:25:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12184674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hayleythewriter/pseuds/Hayleythewriter
Summary: Keith is under some sort of love spell, and 404 error Lance's chill not found, we are sorry but the chill you are looking for does not exist





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> buckle up it's gonna be a FLUFFY RIDE

Never eat yellow snow. Don’t cry over spilled milk.

These were the only food related rules Lance thought he’d need in his life. But after last night, he had a new rule to add to the pile. Don’t eat glowing berries that the natives assure you are fine. Because they may knock you unconscious. 

Luckily, Lance didn’t eat the berries. But Keith had oh so nonchalantly taken one from the basket at the feast and popped it in his mouth, like a piece of buttery popcorn at a movie premiere. 

Immediately Keith had slumped onto the table, making the rest of the paladins spring up and causing the Queen of whatever planet they were on to begin rapidly apologizing. He was out cold, so Shiro hoisted him out of the golden chair and gently threw him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Allura tried calming down the queen, who was near hysteria. Pidge, Hunk, and Lance followed Shiro to the castle, trying to get a better look at Keith. 

But all that happened last night. Now it was morning, and Keith still wasn’t out of the healing pod. There didn’t appear to be any damage, internal or otherwise, but Coran was at a loss. If the healing pod didn’t get wake him up, then- Lance stopped his thoughts right there. Because that kind of thinking was just stupid, because of course the healing pod could fix this. Keith was going to be alright. 

Lance was sitting in front of the pod, flipping through an Altean magazine he’d found on the ship. He couldn’t read it, but the pictures offered some entertainment. There were some 1,000 year old Altean fashions that he wouldn’t mind bringing back. 

Suddenly, he heard the telltale click of the pod door opening, and he jumped up, magazine forgotten at his feet. 

“Keith!” Lance exclaimed, relief crashing into him like a tidal wave. “Bro, you’re back!” 

Keith’s eyes were wide like a kid’s at Christmas. He looked around taking everything in, before stepping out of the pod and setting his sights on Lance. Lance babbled on. 

“We didn’t know what happened to you! Pidge tried looking up the weird berry, but even Coran didn’t know what it was. Next time stick to cake like the rest of us. Seriously, Mullet, do you ever think before you-“ 

Keith grabbed Lance’s shoulders and practically smushed their lips together. Lance’s eyebrows shot to the celling as he came face to face with Keith, kissing him. Keith kissing him! Keith kissing him! Lance’s hand found Keith’s shoulders and shoved him away as hard as he could. Keith lost his grip and stumbled, back hitting the healing pod. Lance’s shoulders rose, his mouth open, but no words came. How could he think of words when his mind felt like it was a burning office building with tiny Lances running around screaming. 

Keith’s eyebrows furrowed, and he bit his bottom lip in a way that made the screaming in Lance’s head double. Then all at once, Keith’s features melted into a sly smile and sparkling eyes. 

“Are you playing hard to get?” he stepped toward him, confidence building with every second Lance remained speechless. “That’s so hot. You’re so hot. Have I ever told you that I’m really attracted to you, Lance?” 

Hearing his name was like a block of ice down the back of his shirt. Lance snapped back into reality and started backing away from a quickly approaching Keith. “What-what-what are you doing?!” 

“I’m trying to kiss you again,” Keith grinned, like this wasn’t the craziest thing that’s ever happened to Lance in his entire life. Yeah. That’s coming from someone who lived on an alien spaceship and fought bad guys in a magic robot lion. 

“Why are you trying to kiss me?!” Lance shrieked, almost at the hallway. He needed to find Shiro, Pidge, Oprah, Jesus, SOMEBODY who could explain to him what was happening right now. 

Keith gave a breathless laugh, face twisting into a look of adoration that looked straight out of a hallmark movie, before hopeless exclaiming, “Because I’m in love with you, Lance.” 

“You’re WHAT?” Lance reached the hallway and stopped, eyes rapidly searching every inch of Keith’s blissful face, “Is this a joke? A prank? Are you a Keith clone? An alien? A cyborg? An evil twin? From an alternate dimension? Am I in an alternate dimension?” 

“Hey, Keith is all fixed,” Hunk happily walked up to the scene, before taking stock of the scene before him. 

“Keith is not fixed, Keith is broken!” Lance screeched like a man afraid of heights standing on top of Mt. Everest. “Hunk, do something!” 

“Hunk!” Keith blinked, confused, then smiled like a serene cult leader, “You’re one of my best friends. And you give amazing hugs.” 

Hunk put one hand on his hip and slapped Lance on the back, “Dude, Keith is clearly fine.” 

Lance sputtered and gripped his hair with both his hands, “But- no- because- Keith tell Hunk whatyouweretellingme.” 

“Are you okay?” Hunk gave Lance a onceover, and took note that he looked like he’d seen a ghost and then the ghost told him that strawberry poptarts were discontinued. 

“Lance,” Keith mouth trembled, eyes watering, “are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong? I just want to make you feel happy and safe and protect you and kiss you.” 

Lance pointed an accusing finger toward Keith, and turned to Hunk desperate for answers. Hunk narrowed his eyes and slowly nodded his head. 

“Okay, yeah, Keith is broken.” 

.

“It’s the berries,” Pidge said, huddled between Shiro, Hunk, and Allura. 

“Could something have happened in the healing pod?” Shiro brought up, careful to examine every possibility, “Or before, or after, he entered it?” 

Allura made a face, “No. I believe Pidge is on the right track. There’s a type of fish on planet Brokka, if I do recall correctly, that when prepared properly can strongly effect the emotions of others.” 

“But we weren’t on Brokka and there was no fish involved,” Hunk rested a thoughtful hand on his chin. “Unless Keith made a pitstop there for an appetizer alone.” 

“It’s obviously the weird glowing berry that made Keith literally pass out,” Pidge held out their hands, exasperated, “I can’t be the only one seeing this.” 

“We already sent Coran to collect a sample,” Shiro reminded. “We’re just trying to generate some theories.” 

“Why don’t you start generating some solutions,” Lance loudly complained, a few feet away from the couch. Keith had both arms wrapped around him, happily snuggling into his side. Lance gave up resistance around 15 dobashes ago, but he didn’t give up his right to whine about it. 

“You guys are all so smart,” Keith contributed to the conversation, “but I think Pidge is the smartest.” 

“Then why don’t you go smother her?!” Lance tried to twist out of Keith’s arms, but he clung like a Kohala to a branch. 

“Because I think you’re the cutest,” Keith laughed happily, some might even say giggled. Lance looked away, and reminded himself that he hated this. 

“Okay, since I’m officially smartest,” Pidge smirked, “I’ll hypothesize. The berries contained certain chemicals, PEA, dopamine, something that induces human attraction. The species on the planet they’re from don’t use those chemicals, so to them the berries have no effect. But once ingested, the berries affected Keith’s human brain, and made him fall in love with the first face he saw. Lance’s.” 

“This would be so much funnier if it happen to Coran. Or Shiro. Or, actually, anyone who wasn’t me!” Lance whined, prying his left arm free from between him and Keith. 

“Yeah, too bad you were the one waiting outside of his healing pod like a worried boyfriend.” Pidge sounded as innocent as could be, sweetly glancing toward the two intertwined boys. 

Lance’s mouth formed a straight line, while Keith’s face lit up in a huge, opened mouth grin. 

“I want to be your boyfriend!” Keith said, adjusting himself until he was sitting on his knees on the couch and then began bouncing up and down excitedly. “Lance!” 

Lance rolled his eyes, “Thanks a million Pidge. When someone under a love spell becomes obsessed with you, I’ll be sure to bring up your wedding.” 

Keith stopped bouncing, suddenly becoming solemn. Hunk and Pidge stifled laughter as Keith clutched his chest with his hands, and hopefully croaked, “A wedding?” 

Lance groaned and let out a cuss word that made Shiro reprimand him, Allura smile, and Pidge and Hunk laugh harder.


	2. the conclusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything concludes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> will they? won't they? (they will)

When Coran served dinner Lance had finally managed to pry Keith off of him, but he still insisted on sitting in the chair right next to Lance. And every few ticks, Lance swore Keith had scooted just a little bit closer. By dessert, their chairs would be touching.

“When the berry leaves his system, this ‘love spell’ should be broken,” Allura explained. 

“Maybe we should separate them until this blows over,” Shiro wearily looked between the annoyed Lance and the smiling Keith. Keith’s smile disappeared as soon as he registered what Shiro said. 

“What? No! I want to stay with Lance!” he took an angry bite of Coran’s classic goo, and stuck out his tongue, “This tastes disgusting!” 

“Subject’s taste buds appear heightened,” Pidge muttered while furiously typing on a laptop. 

Lance leaned forward, glaring suspiciously, “Is this going on your blog?” 

“Actually, I’m being a scientist and categorizing a new type of alien plant, so no other idiot will make this mistake,” Pidge rolled their eyes. 

“Hey! I’m not an idiot!” Keith glared at them. 

Pidge sheepishly typed, “subject can still register insults. Duly noted.” 

Keith leaned back in his seat, content to sit and watch Lance. Lance was less content. 

“Do you guys, think he’ll remember any of this?” Lance squirmed, and loudly scooted his chair away from Keith. 

“Almost definitely,” Hunk shrugged, “But look on the bright side. You have someone to personally shower you in attention and compliments.” 

Lance glanced over, and Keith’s chair had moved even closer. His bowl of goop was a foot to his left. Keith was staring at Lance with complete focus, studying every inch of his face as if he was going to be soon be quizzed on the distance between his eyebrows, or the angles of his mouth. Lance made himself immediately stop thinking of his mouth, and of Keith’s mouth, and those mouths touching. He wasn’t going to think about that. He wasn’t going to think about that. Look at him, totally not thinking about that. 

“Subject’s lover appears to be getting sick. Possible side effect?” 

“Shut up, Pidge!” Lance folded his arms. “And don’t say ‘lover.’ Gross.” 

“Maybe if you two kiss, the spell will break,” Pidge smirked. 

Hunk snorted, “C’mon, let’s think logically. It takes true love’s kiss to break a spell, everybody knows that.” 

“And you two call yourselves scientists,” Lance shook his head. 

“A true scientist examines every possibility,” Pidge pointed their finger and then made a finger gun. 

“Lance, we should try to kiss again,” Keith said eagerly, completely oblivious to the bomb he’d just dropped in the room. 

“Again?” Allura was the first to react, quickly followed by 

“Oh my god-“ Pidge, slapping a hand on the table. 

“Lance, did you actually-“ Shiro, raising his voice. 

“No freaking way-“ Hunk, laughing hysterically. 

“Okay, I didn’t- Keith kissed me! I didn’t even know he was, drugged, or whatever!” Lance spoke loudly above the chaos, at least satisfying Shiro. Pidge, on the other hand, was bouncing like a kid on way too much sugar. 

“And you didn’t tell us! This changes everything. Maybe the berry made Keith fall in love with the first thing he kissed, not saw. That makes so much more sense! Maybe it wouldn’t have affected him if you hadn’t kissed-” 

“I didn’t want to kiss him!” Lance put his head in his hands, exasperated. 

Keith looked like a kicked puppy, “Lance, you don’t like me?” 

Lance raised his head, and turned toward Keith, who’s chair was an inch away. Their faces were so close. “No, I do-“ 

Pidge and Hunk gasped in unison, but only Pidge asked, “Lance, you like him?” 

“I- no!” Lance stood, one straw left before he was storming out of here. 

“But I’m in love with you,” Keith stood as well, “I want to be with you, Lance.” 

And that was the last straw. Lance threw up his hands, starting walking, and called over his shoulder, “I’m officially done! Come find me when Keith isn’t delusional.” 

Shiro stood to hold Keith back from following after him. As soon as Lance was out of sight, Keith slumped back down in his chair. Hunk glanced to the hallway where Lance had gone. 

“I’ll go make sure he’s alright,” Hunk volunteered, pushing in his chair and following after his friend. 

“Hey, Keith, can I ask you some questions? For science.” Pidge smiled, sweetly. 

Allura studied Keith, “I’m not sure Keith is quite up for questioning.” 

“Sure he is!” Pidge smiled, “right, Keith?” 

Keith huffed, “Lance hates me and is never going to talk to me again. What’s the point of anything?” 

“See, he’s fine,” Pidge quickly continued, “So. First, what’s your name?” 

Keith gave them a look, “You know my name. Keith.” 

Pidge quickly typed, and then continued, “How old are you?” 

“Pidge, is this really necessary-“ Allura was cut off by Shiro leaning toward her and saying softly. 

“Keith is pretty upset. Maybe this will help speed up the process and forget about Lance?” 

“And if it doesn’t and makes him feel worse?” Allura whispered back. 

Shiro shrugged, “I don’t think anything could make him feel worse.” Allura glanced back toward Keith, who sniffed as he answered a frivolous question about his favorite animal. She’d never heard the word “hippopotamus” before, but he sounded so sad when he said it, she wondered if a hippopotamus had burned down his home or punched him in the face. She turned back to Shiro and nodded. 

“Alright,” Pidge finished typing, and moved on to the next question for their research. “what’s your sexuality?” 

“I’m gay,” Keith said, studiously picking at the end of his sleeve. 

Pidge nodded, though they hadn’t seen that answer coming. They didn’t even think Keith would answer, “Okay. And when did you first realize your feelings for Lance?” 

At the mention of Lance, Keith perked up again, “First? Well, I knew I was in love with him around the time we first battled Zarkon. But I’ve been attracted to him ever since Garrison.” 

Pidge, Allura, and Shiro were staring at Keith with opened mouths. He just continued smiling happily to himself, thinking back on his memories with Lance. 

Pidge slowly closed their laptop. “Uh. . . you remember that?” 

“I told Lance I didn’t remember him,” Keith said, factually, “but it was only because I was scared when he said he remembered me. I didn’t want to think about that part of my life. Especially about the cute cargo pilot who always made the class laugh. Lance is so funny. Every room is better when he’s in it. I wish he was here now.” 

Pidge, Allura, and Shiro shared a look. 

“Perhaps that berry wasn’t what we thought,” Allura finally broke the shaky silence. 

Pidge slapped their forehead, “Of course! A truth serum!” 

Coran, suddenly, came into the room holding a beaker with the berry juice, “Paladins! I finally finished my analysis-“ 

“We know!” Pidge stood, “It didn’t make him fall in love with anyone- it made him tell the truth!” 

Coran stepped forward, “Well, you don’t say! I don’t know about all that, but I did find sodium pentothal and slight traces of sodium thiopental.” 

“Both of those are used in FBI interrogations,” Shiro said in disbelief. 

Pidge pulled open their laptop and began typing, “This paper is going to be insane. I could win a nobel prize for this. A space nobel prize!” 

Shiro reached over and closed their screen, much to their dismay, “We’re not telling anyone about this. Especially Lance.” 

They folded their arms, “The intergalactic scientific community needs to know.” 

Shiro looked solemn. “You can write the paper, but you can’t publish it. Lance can never know about this.” 

“That doesn’t seem very fair to Lance,” said Pidge. 

Shiro gestured toward Keith, who appeared to be telling Allura about his favorite parts of Lance in alphabetical order. He was still on arms. 

“It wouldn’t be very fair to Keith,” said Shiro and Pidge had to agree. They were just glad they could finish writing their paper at all. They could always show it to Hunk. He would love it. 

\- - - - - 

“This sucks,” Lance covered his face with his hands. He was plopped on his bed, Hunk sitting comfortably with a pillow behind his back. Hunk was being a good, nay, great friend by waiting with Lance in his room until the berry love magic wore off, or until Coran figured out an antidote. 

“I mean, it’s a little funny,” Hunk tried for a smile, which made Lance frown. 

“No it’s not! It’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to me,” he grumbled, sitting up, “I mean. Keith is probably going to kick my ass when this is all over.” 

“This isn’t your fault,” Hunk put a reassuring hand on Lance’s shoulder. 

Lance plopped back down, “I know, but Keith will probably find some way to blame me anyway. He hates me.” 

“No way he hates you,” Hunk argued, “If he really hated you, the love chemical spell thing, wouldn’t even have worked. Probably.” 

“He’s obviously drugged, Hunk,” Lance moped, “and that’s what makes everything so hard. Because if he wasn’t drugged.” He didn’t finish, but Hunk figure out the rest of his sentence. 

“If he wasn’t drugged, you’d be totally into him, right?” 

Lance reached for his pillow and buried his face into it. Stupid Keith. Stupid Keith and his stupid love potion and his stupid eyes and his stupid kiss. Hunk just nodded, like Lance trying to suffocate himself was the only confirmation he needed. 

“I’m sure everything will be fine when Keith goes back to normal,” Hunk tried to sound comforting and optimistic. “which he will. Eventually. Sometime.” 

Lance just gave a muffled scream into his pillow. Keith mad at him was hard, but Keith in love with him was impossible. 

\- - - 

When Keith woke up the next morning, he woke up with regrets. He’d felt the occasional splash of embarrassment and guilt before, but this morning was a tidal wave of memories making him cringe. 

He sat up, rubbing his neck, and just let the last 35 hours hit him. He was under a love potion- that was actually a truth potion- and he’d spent the whole day trying to get into Lance’s pants. 

And Lance hated him now. Did Lance know it was a truth potion? It didn’t even matter. Keith was a freak, and a freak who’d kissed him, and babbled on about love and – oh god- did he mention marriage? 

A new tidal wave of regret. 

There was a knock on his door. He hoped it was Shiro, come to tell him he’d been in a coma for a week and the last day and half has been nothing but a space goo-induced nightmare. Or maybe it was Pidge, asking for a quote for their paper. It could be Hunk, with a hug and joke that might make him forget about his embarrassment for a moment or two. Maybe a space assassin was knocking on his door, with a finger on his trigger. 

He pulled open the door, and it was Lance. 

He would rather have faced the assassin. 

Keith became aware of his grey pajama shirt and maroon sweats. He was aware that his hair was probably sticking up from sleep. He was aware that Lance’s hands were stuffed in his pockets, and he kept glancing anywhere except Keith. 

Keith opened his mouth, gearing himself up to say ‘hi’, but before he could speak Lance pushed his way into the room. Keith closed the door, and turned around, to find Lance already pacing. 

“Alright Keith,” Lance said, “I have something I want to say. And maybe it would be better if you weren’t- uh- under a spell. But I want to see how it goes over now before I actually say-“ 

“Wait, no, Lance, the spell is gone,” Keith said quickly, “It’s out of my system.” 

Lance stopped moving. “Oh.” 

“Yeah,” Keith wished he wasn’t in his pajamas, “And, I really want to apologize for how absolutely insane I acted. Just thinking about it makes me want to throw up. And die.” 

“Oh,” Lance’s right hand started fiddling with the hem of his shirt, “Don’t worry about it, man. It wasn’t your fault. You don’t have to apologize.” 

“No, I really do.” Keith cringed, “I acted like a huge idiot, and you should have locked me up as soon as I, uh.” He suddenly really didn’t want to finish that sentence. 

“Kissed me?” Lance filled in the blank. 

Keith folded his arms, and tried to glare to hide his flush, “Whatever. That stupid fruit turned me temporarily insane, but you won’t have to worry about this ever happening again. Didn’t you want to ask me something?” 

Lance sat on Keith’s bed, and tried not to think about how he was sitting on Keith’s bed, “Right. Um.” 

“Um?” 

Lance twisted his torso towards Keith, “I wanted to ask you something.” 

“So,” Keith responded flatly, “ask.” 

“Sure. I’ll ask.” Lance twisted his hands together, “do you, uh. . . do you hate me?” 

“What?” Keith narrowed his eyes. 

Lance sprung up and headed for the door, “You know what, nevermind! This was stupid, and I’ll just, I’ll see you around, okay? Don’t eat any alien fruit.” 

“Lance,” Keith grabbed him by the elbow, and turned him so they were face to face, “I don’t hate you.” 

Lance glanced to the side, “Great. Question, answered! I should really go.” 

Maybe it was a lingering effect of the berry chemicals. Maybe it was the fresh memory of holding Lance in his arms. Maybe Keith was sick and tired of bottling up every feeling he had. Keith couldn’t be sure exactly what caused a sudden spurt of honesty, but nevertheless he blurted, 

“I the opposite of hate you.” 

Lance held his breath. “The opposite of hate?” 

“Like,” Keith clarified, cheeks heating up. 

“Like, what?” Lance tried to figure out what he was saying. 

Keith crinkled his nose, then shook his head exasperated, “Like- no, Lance, I mean…” Lance leaned forward, with wide eyes, “I mean you’re my fellow paladin. And we’re friends.” 

He smiled, finally understanding. “Good to know. I’ll see you later.” 

Keith gave a closed lip smile, “See you.” 

\-- - - - - - - - - - - - 

Dinner was a few dobashes away, so Hunk and Pidge had the entire table to themselves. Pidge anxiously watched Hunk’s facial journey as he officially became the first person to read her research paper on the mysterious berry. 

“I just can’t believe it,” Hunk flipped to the last page of Pidge’s paper. 

“It’s science, Hunk,” Pidge shook their head, still slightly in disbelief theirself. 

Hunk laughed at the concluding paragraph, “Did Keith actually cry when you asked him to pick a favorite paladin?” 

“I know!” Pidge smiled, “Shiro got mad at me. But I just wanted to know if he had a favorite, and now I know he doesn’t. Keith never says it, but he really cares about us. All of us.” 

Hunk couldn’t stop his smirk, “but especially Lance.” 

“Especially Lance!” Pidge grinned and grabbed their paper back. “When they get married, I’m gonna read my whole paper out loud at the reception.” 

“Or we could digitally print it onto their wedding cake,” Hunk suggested. 

Pidge nodded, “Now that is creative. It’ll be a lot funnier on a cake.” 

“Did someone bring cake?” Lance slid into the room, a relaxed smile sprawled on his face. 

Hunk’s knee banged against the table as he sat up in his chair and tried to look unsuspicious, “No, nothing, why?” 

Pidge calmly slid their paper onto their lap, and looked up at Lance, “We’re talking about wedding cakes.” 

“Ooh,” Lance wiggled his eyebrows, “for the hottest couple on this ship?” 

Pidge and Hunk exchanged a quick glance, but before they could say anything, Lance continued, 

“The problem is, Allura has probably never had cake in Altea, and Shiro is so ripped, the only cake he eats is probably made of kale or something. Regardelss of cake, we gotta plan a salad bar. But the real issue? Color scheme.” 

“Hey,” Shiro popped his head in from the kitchen, “Everyone come grab a plate.” 

Lance was the first to head into the kitchen, while subtly imagining Shiro in different colored suits and by the time Pidge, Hunk, Keith, Allura, Shiro, and himself had all sat down, he determined the color scheme actually didn’t matter at all, because Shiro and Allura would look amazing in any color combination. 

“Nice to see you back to normal, Keith,” Allura smiled sweetly. He nodded in acknowledgment while not looking up from his plate. 

“Don’t jinx it, princess,” Lance advised, “At the next feast we attend, Keith might bite into a carrot and fall in love with your mice.” 

“Ha.” Keith took a very unamused bite of goo. 

“He could eat a fish stick and become a merman,” Hunk melodramatically warned. 

“He could try some garlic bread and turn into a vampire,” Lance tried to keep a straight face. Keith rolled his eyes. 

“That one doesn’t even make sense, vampires can’t eat garlic.” 

“Well,” Lance leaned forward, toward Keith who was sitting across from him, “I don’t think you’re our resident food expert.” 

“I’ll stick with piloting,” Keith twisted his spoon in his goo. “You can be the obnoxious expert.” 

Lance scoffed, “Well, according to the Garrison, you can’t stick with piloting.” 

“Lance,” Shiro reprimanded. 

He shrugged innocently, “I’m just stating the facts! He was kicked out!” 

“You want to state facts?” Keith could physically feel himself getting riled up. Stupid Lance. “Those berries were only on the table because you wanted to flirt with the alien servant who was carrying them around!” 

“Oh, so this is all my fault?!” Lance asked, incredulous. 

Instead of answering Keith just glared, “Well it wouldn’t have happened if you could have kept it in your pants for one meal.” 

“I hope you eat a banana and stop being such a dick,” Lance glared right back. 

“As long as I don’t eat a cookie and become a cargo pilot.” 

“That’s enough,” Shiro’s chair scrapped against the floor as he stood. “Both of you. You’re acting like you hate each other.” 

Lance laughed without humor and leaned back in his chair, “No, apparently Keith the opposite of hates me.” 

Shiro held out a hand, “Lance, don’t bring up what Keith said when he was intoxicated with a love potion. It’s not fair. Alright, you two need to have a nice, long conversation-“ 

“Wait,” Lance stood like he’d been hit by lighting. Keith was frozen, forced to witness as Lance realized what he’d (STUPIDLY) tried to confess earlier. Keith needed to leave. But his body was completely tensed up. A side effect of the berry, but probably just his own sheer terror. “Keith,” Lance continued, “were you trying to say that you. . . but the love spell.” 

“Great news, paladins!” Coran leisurely strolled into the room, arms full of beakers. 

“What is it, Coran?” Allura calmly asked, as Shiro, Hunk, and Pidge tried to piece together the scene before them. Lance looking like a million math equations were swarming his head, and Keith looking like he was about to stab himself with his spoon. 

“I used the left over berries from my research, and managed to create a batch of truth serum from them! I made slight modifications, so it won’t just effect humans, but other carbon based life forms as well. Pidge, I could even give you the recipe for your little paper!” 

“Great,” Pidge said, slowly, while looking directly at Keith with unbreakable focus. 

Coran cheerily nodded, “Now if we take any prisoners, we could force them to speak the truth. Just like yesterday, when our very own Keith was-“ 

“Hey Coran,” Shiro said, abruptly interrupting the alien, “Why don’t you take us all to the lab so Lance and Keith can, can, finish dinner.” 

“Oh, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Coran began, but Allura quickly stood to join Shiro and began shuffling Coran out of the room. 

“No, it’s quite alright,” Allura assured him, “Let’s go take a look at your experiment. Hunk. Pidge.” 

Pidge waved her off, eyes still glued on the red cheeked Keith, “I’m in the middle of my own experiment-“ 

“Pidge. Now,” Shiro spoke authoritatively, and Hunk yanked Pidge by the arm and practically dragged them out of the room. The door to the hallway slid shut, until it was just Lance and Keith. 

Lance let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding. And then he asked, “So all those things you said, when we kissed, that was all real?” 

Keith stood, pushed in his chair, and then faced Lance, “Look, I’m sorry. Okay? That goddamn fruit made me do things that I would never have done in a million years. And, yeah, it was all things that I . . . wanted. That I’ve wanted for a long time. But it doesn’t matter because I’ll never ever do it again and you can, I don’t know, punch me in the face for being a huge creep.” 

“What if I want to do the opposite?” Lance slyly asked, with a hopeful smile. 

Keith titled his head, “The opposite of what?” 

“The opposite of punching you in the face,” Lance walked around the table, until he was right next to a very confused Keith. 

“What’s the opposite of punching someone in the-mmph” Keith was cut off as Lance captured his mouth in a kiss. 

\- - - - - - 

“They’re probably making out right now,” Pidge stated matter-o-factly while Coran continued his excited lecture about the percent of sodium in his truth serum. 

“Pidge, we’re letting them work through this alone,” Shiro reminded them. 

“If they’re making out, I get to publish my paper,” they held out a hand to Shiro, waiting for an agreement. 

After a moment’s hesitation, spent considering the boy’s emotional capabilities, he shook their hand, “Deal. But if we go back in there and they’re arguing, I get to be best man at their wedding.” 

Pidge snorted, pleased. Allura shook her head at Shiro’s obvious mistake, while Hunk rested a hand on Shiro’s shoulders and said, 

“Don’t worry. Even though you’re totally gonna lose this bet, you could still be in the wedding. You could officiate. Or cater.”

"But Hunk and I got the cake covered," Pidge inserted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pidge published the paper, with a new conclusion. The intergalactic scientific community doesn't really care, but it's an intergalactic best selling romance 16 weeks in a row.   
> She uses the money from the book to buy the wedding cake.   
> Shiro caters. Kale is involved.


End file.
